In many metal making processes, water-cooled implements are inserted into a furnace vessel to perform desired metal processing functions. For instance, in steelmaking processes a water-cooled lance is inserted into a steelmaking vessel (e.g., a basic oxygen furnace (BOF), electric arc furnace (EAF), etc.), to promote melting, decarburization, refining and other processes useful in converting iron-containing scrap material within the vessel into steel. A typical lance may inject gaseous materials such as oxygen, hydrocarbon gas and/or inert gas at high velocity at various times to achieve desired treatment of the charged material (scrap and hot metal) and/or maintenance of the interior of the vessel. Some lances may also inject particulate carbon and/or lime (or other substances) to achieve desired properties in the steel ultimately produced.
There exists an unmet need in the art for fluid cooled housing systems designed to cool and protect implements, such as burners, an oxygen lances, and material injectors, inserted into vessels during the metal making process.